1. Understanding Individual Differences
Myers-Briggs Debrief

2. Understanding Individual Differences
Exercise Summary
1. How groups were formed for this exercise
Using 2 dimensions of cognitive style
Surveys you took were mini-version of real test
Groups were not really cognitively homogenous
2. Questions:
How did it feel to be part of a homogenous group?
Could you sense that there was cognitive similarity?

3. Understanding Individual Differences
Exercise Summary
3. Outcomes:
Cognitive diversity can lead to process loss and inefficiency or can lead to efficiency and teamwork.
4. Goal of this exercise:
To minimize process loss by grouping people with common personality types.

4. Understanding Individual Differences
Exercise Summary
5. How to use this at work:
If two dimensions have predictive value, we can make predictions about how others will behave.
If we understand where individuals fit on these two dimensions, it may lead to clearer communications and better outcomes.
We can create norms of interaction that respect differences

5. Understanding Individual Differences
The Two Dimensions Used in the Exercise
ST: Problem focus: set up leadership and formal structure; work fast; define solutions not processes; concentrate on routines and procedures; Task oriented, look for cost/benefit.
SF: People focus, hierarchical but open to unstructured situations, concerned about human qualities of people doing work as individuals, interest in maintaining good interpersonal and social relations a primary focus, focus on facts; how to handle problems with empathy.

6. Understanding Individual Differences
The Two Dimensions Used in the Exercise
NT: Theoretical orientation, comfortable with complex situations, concentrate of defining problems, goals, analytical in the abstract; often create complicated procedures, using a messy process with little consensus.
NF: Creative process, guided by insights and imagination emphasizing decentralized, humanistic organizations; Moral concerns with a “people orientation”, less concerned with structure. Comfortable with ambiguity.

7. Understanding Individual Differences
How we gather information:
Sensing (S) – getting the facts, good at details, comfortable with standard solutions to problem solving, working with tested ideas
Intuition (N) – developing data through insight and imagination, get bored with routine, see the possibilities, less concerned with facts, seek innovation, see the big picture

8. Understanding Individual Differences
How we make decisions:
Thinking (T) – analytical, look for cost/benefit/ focus on analysis/prefer clarity, task oriented
Feeling (F) – personal convictions or beliefs, can become committed to personal views, nostalgic, traditional, principles oriented

9. Understanding Individual Differences
How we choose priorities:
Perceiving (P) – oriented towards generating data, can procrastinate, open minded and curious, comfortable with ambiguity
Judging (J) – oriented towards decision making, clarity, order, dislike ambiguity, decisions are important not information gathering

10. Understanding Individual Differences
How we establish relationships:
Extravert (E) – requires variety and stimulation, become bored easily, sociable, look for new situations, often viewed as influential, not easily organized, like meetings
Introvert (I) – Think things through before communicating, harder to get to know, communication is more of a strain, few tasks at one time, few interruptions, others around the introvert often feel left in the dark

11. Understanding Individual Differences
Interpretation of Individual Scores
Consider how cognitive differences affect organizational situations
Four or more points viewed as a significant preference, less than four points means no clear preference on that dimension
Does your score feel right?
You can probably think of a situation where your behavior was inconsistent with your Myers-Briggs score
No right or wrong answers, your results represent a lifetime of experience
According to the theory, we all have the ability and potential to develop both sides the personality dimension

12. Understanding Individual Differences
Closing Thoughts
There are differences based on country, culture, and experience
Age and education influence personality
Risk of organizational homogeneity
Seek balance in your own personality, balance is the key to effectiveness and this ability resides within all of us
To derive the best solution seek cognitive diversity, groups grasped only a part of the problem, best solution was a combination of ideas
Psychological testing can deepen self-knowledge, and improve teamwork but can be misused in promotion and hiring decisions